King's Cup 2023 Semi-Final | Iraq Vs India Highlights | Zidane Iqbal Red Card

It was a crushing experience for Igor Stimac’s boys to have the victory snatched away from them in the penalty shoot-out after a rousing regulation time display at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in the first semi-final of the 49th King’s Cup 2023 on September 7, 2023.

It was a typical story of so near and yet so far for India as they played their hearts out to hold mighty Iraq to a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes before going down 5-4 in the tie-breaker. India twice took the lead against the 70th place team in the FIFA rankings, only to find the leads getting cancelled by the two spot kicks awarded against them.

But then, the story that unfolded will be remembered for a long time, as India came agonisingly close to securing their maiden win over Iraq but ultimately succumbed to a gut-wrenching loss. The unfortunate defeat marked the end of India’s impressive unbeaten streak of 12 matches, as they suffered their first loss of the year.

The early stages of the match showcased India‘s determination to make history. Naorem Mahesh Singh ignited the Indian fans’ hopes when he found the back of the net in the 16th minute, expertly exploiting a sublime pass from Sahal Abdul Samad. It was a moment of brilliance, as Naorem deceived Iraqi goalkeeper Jalal Hasan by slotting the ball past him at the near post.

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